Legends
by Ariki
Summary: AU with elves, humans of course, and other goodies.
1. Default Chapter

Standard Disclaimer – the Ronin boys aren't mine… I'm just borrowing them.

Ryo was in trouble. His mind raced as he sprinted down the narrow street, dodging bystanders and weaving through the crowd. Cries of "Stop, thief!" over his heavy breathing they seemed far off. Good, he just might make it. Or… maybe not. By the time he saw the ball roll into his path it was almost too late. Swearing, he leapt awkwardly, nearly crashing into a young couple, but he managed to keep his balance and merely clipped the man's arm. Only three more blocks and he'd be at the river. From there he was home free.

"Thief! Stop him! Thief!" Closer this time. The ball must not have deterred his pursuer. Ryo was suddenly acutely aware of his ink black hair escaping the tie at the back of his neck and the baggy tail of his shirt which seemed to trail behind him. He wished for a burst of speed but got none. He was running as fast as he could. He darted left in front of a horse and rider, then right at the end of the block. He was almost there.

He could see it. The River Crimson was just a few yards away, its swift waters a dull green-gray on the landscape but to Ryo it was beautiful. He slowed his stride and, as he reached the banks, afforded himself a look back. As he had expected, his pursuer slowed as well. Ryo saw the boy look at him, then at the river and back, and the small smile that replaced the anger previously written on his face. A meager crowd flanked him, curious to see how the chase would end. The boy stepped towards Ryo, pushing his sleeves past his elbows to reveal well-muscled arms. 

Ryo watched him approach, then looked at the crowd and smiled. He crept backwards until he felt the land giving way to air beneath his feet. In one fluid movement he turned and dove into the river. Forcing already exhausted muscles to hold out just a little bit, he swam across.

When he reached the other bank and dragged himself out of the waters, Ryo first pushed his dripping bangs out of his eyes then stood, patting himself down as he did. He had to make sure he hadn't lost his hard-earned prize. Sure enough, two large apples, now dripping as well, still sat in his right pocket. Triumphant, he looked back across the river to where the other boy stood, staring. Ryo pulled one of the apples from his pocket and bit into it, then turned and disappeared into the forest before him.

*****

"Dammit!" Shuu grabbed the nearest object and struggled to control his rage.

"Easy there. We don't need to lose any more produce today."

Shuu looked at his uncle, took a deep breath, and dropped the coconut back onto the cart. "Sorry," he muttered.

The older man chuckled. "Didn't catch him, did you?"

Shuu stared at his uncle in disbelief. "Uncle Fan, that kid just stole from us and he got away! What, do you think it's fun to be robbed?"

Fan shook his head slowly and began stacking his oranges in neat pyramids. "No, but if you'd listened to what I was saying rather than just taking off after him you would have known not to bother. It was only Ryo."

"Ryo?"

Fan nodded. "You haven't been here long enough to know, but he comes by a few times a week."

"Does he steal every time?"

"More or less."

Shuu stared at him. "And you don't try to stop him?"

"Nope." Fan smiled and tossed an orange to his nephew. "This one's rotten. Throw it out, will you?"

Shuu fumbled with the orange before getting a solid hold on it, then inspected the front. "It looks fine to me."

"Squeeze it."

Shuu did, then shrugged. Fan took the orange from him, dug his thumbs into the skin, and pulled it apart with a spray of juice. "See?" he showed it to his nephew. On the fruit's interior the rot was obvious.

Shuu nodded then shoved his hands into his pockets and watched silently as Fan tossed the orange into a corner. Some animal would eat it sooner or later. Fan looked at Shuu, then leaned back against the stone wall behind them. 

"What?" he asked.

"I don't get it."

"How I knew it was rotten?"

"Why you let that kid steal from you."

"He's a nice boy. Let's leave it at that. Now go do something useful, we still have half a day's work left.

Shuu rolled his eyes and leaned back against the wall as Fan pushed off it and went back to fussing over his fruit. He didn't get it. All day, all he heard was "my fruit" this, or "my fruit" that. The man was obsessed. By the time the day was over, Shuu was positive he wouldn't want to see a single piece of "nature's candy" for a week, and he'd only been working here for a day!

"Damned fruit," he muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing, Uncle Fan." That wasn't supposed to be out loud. But what made it even worse was that each apple or orange was sacred, a precious commodity to be guarded like a hawk, but then that Ryo kid comes and steals not one, but _two_ of the valuables, and his uncle couldn't have cared less. Nothing made any sense. Not his uncle, not the town, not his family. Shuu just wanted to go home, back to Herrig, a full day's travel away. What was he doing here anyway?

"Shuu."

"Yeah?"

Fan didn't look at him. "You're doing good."

Shuu didn't reply. He was in Sheratz with his aunt and uncle not because he wanted to be there, but because they needed him and family always came first. His older brothers helped their father back home and Shuu, the youngest boy, went to help with the fruit. Thinking about days on end surrounded by the stuff, it occurred to Shuu that one good thing had come from Ryo's theft – if gave him something else to do for half an hour.

The rest of the day passed slowly, entirely too slowly for Shuu. He watched as his uncle chatted with customers, and when the conversation ceased to amuse him he turned his attention elsewhere. He counted the rectangular stones that formed the wall behind him. He surveyed the selection of fruit and tried to name each one. He looked at the sky and tried to figure out where the wind was blowing from by following the path the clouds took. The last activity didn't last long. Staring at the sky made him think about how his dark hair seemed to be a magnet for the sun's heat. At that point, Shuu moved in search of shade, and he stayed there until Fan began packing up and declared the work day was over.

Hours later, when they sat down to eat dinner, Shuu reflected that time at "home" wasn't much better. Aunt Leibi was very ill and the small house reeked of sickness. The lack of light combined with the tiny rooms and the rasping coughs that echoed through the halls made Shuu feel claustrophobic. The meal consisted of rice and a small bit of fish from the river which left him unsatisfied. They ate quickly and silently, then Fan cleared the table and moved to the bedroom to care for his wife. Shuu watched him disappear into the darkness, then propped his elbows on the table and sighed. Family always came first.


	2. 2

Standard Disclaimer – the Ronin boys aren't mine… I'm just borrowing them.

Legends By Ariki Chapter Two 

Today would be the day, Shuu could feel it.  In the month he'd been living with his uncle, Ryo had "visited" three or four days each week, and each time he'd gotten away.  He was a quick little shit, and cocky too.  Shuu suspected he was coming by more frequently specifically to taunt him.  Even though Uncle Fan didn't mind, Shuu decided it was his job to protect the produce and that meant he'd have to catch the thief.  Ryo seemed to have a schedule of some sort, appearing a couple of days in a row, then waiting a few more before reappearing.  While the exact days were never the same, Shuu paid close attention and knew he would be by today.  And today he would be caught.

The river was the problem.  Shuu had grown up in a landlocked village and never learned to swim, but he would.  How hard could it really be?  And since Uncle Fan gave him the rest of the day off he could take as long as he needed.  It came earlier than he'd expected.  One minute Shuu had an armful of apples to restock the cart, the next he was down the street, yelling and chasing the thief.  _Why doesn't anyone ever help, he wondered.  Despite the very obvious fact that Ryo was a habitual thief, none of the villagers showed the remotest interest in stopping him.  In fact, most of them seemed almost amused._

When they reached the river, Shuu hesitated.  As usual, Ryo dove in and moved with ease to the opposite bank.  The routine played out as if scripted in advance – he climbed onto the land, patted himself down, shook the water from his hair and face, and turned to look at Shuu.  As he wrung out the oversized tail of his shirt, his body language shouted "What are you going to do?"  Shuu straightened up, gathered all of his determination, and jumped gracelessly into the water.

The first shock was the temperature.  The icy liquid attacked him, penetrating even his fingernails, making it difficult to control his body.  It was a momentous act of discipline not to inhale the water in surprise.  The second shock was the current.  As he tried to synchronize his flailing limbs into a motion that would bring him back to the surface and across to the other side he found the water pulling him in a different direction.  Shuu broke free and made it to the top, but his relief was short lived.  He dipped under again and began to panic.  He finally understood the power that flowed in the Crimson, but it was too late.  He struggled against the current but the water was cloudy and he couldn't tell which direction was up.  Suddenly, an arm wrapped around his chest and he found himself being pulled with a surprising strength.  The second his face broke through the frigid barrier into the warm air, he gasped and breathed deeply and quickly, to the point of nearly hyperventilating.  The arm tightened its hold and moved him slowly through the water.  

Shuu scrambled onto the bank as soon as he felt the land within his reach.  For a moment, he reveled in the feel of dry grass beneath his knees and between his fingers before rolling over into a violent coughing fit.  The spasms passed and he stared at the sky, exhausted.  He made it.

He turned his head slowly to the right where his rescuer had collapsed a few feet away.  The dark gray shirt and pants nearly blended into the landscape but the distinctive black hair had etched itself into Shuu's mind during the past month.  The boy propped himself onto his left side and fixed his sapphire blue gaze on Shuu.

"Why the hell did you do that?"  His voice was tired but Shuu could hear steel behind it.  He said nothing.

 "Well?" Ryo demanded.  When it became clear no answer was coming, he muttered something foreign and flopped onto his back again.  Shuu didn't understand the words but had a pretty good guess what they meant.  He focused on the gray pants before speaking.

"Thanks."

It was Ryo's turn not to answer.  Shuu listened to the sounds of the village that carried across the river, shrieks of children playing and salesmen hawking their wares.  He wondered briefly how he was going to get back.

 "So, you got me."  Ryo broke the silence.

 "Yup."

 "What are you gonna do?"

Shuu shrugged his shoulders into the ground.  "Nothin'."

Ryo digested that, then nodded.  "Hungry?" he asked.

Shuu eyed the other boy's pockets, bulging with Uncle Fan's fruit.  As he watched, Ryo sat up, reached into his pocket, and pulled out two oranges.  He tossed one to Shuu, who felt a flicker of anger shoot through him.  Shuu pushed it out of his mind and peeled the orange.

Ryo had never brought anyone into the forest where he lived, but then again, no one had ever followed him across the river before.  It surprised him to realize he was actually proud to show Shuu around.

 "So where exactly do you live?" Shuu asked as he stopped to grab a handful of berries.

 "Here," Ryo answered.

 "Here?  Just in the forest?"

Ryo nodded.

 "Why?"

Had Shuu blinked, he would have missed the almost imperceptible stiffening.  "Why not?" Ryo answered.

Shuu shrugged and sat down.  "What do you eat out here?"

Ryo's eyes roamed the trees as he sat across from Shuu.  "Whatever I find.  Berries, nuts, greens.  And fish.  There's a lot here if you know where to look."

"Then why steal?"

"Gives me something to do."  Ryo grinned.  "I get bored so I go to town, see people, get the news… and Fan's nice.  He lets me take what I like. If he got mad I'd go somewhere else."  He forced himself to stop smiling as Shuu's face reddened.

 "I get mad," Shuu stated.

Ryo locked eyes with him.  "It's not your fruit.  Besides, I like a good chase, it keeps me on my toes.  And I like you."

 "You've got an interesting way of showing it."

Ryo smirked, then decided to change the topic.  "So what's the news?"

 "In Sheratz?"

 "Yeah."

 "Not much.  The weather's been nice…"

Ryo frowned when Shuu trailed off.  "That's it?"

Shuu was quiet a moment before adding, "No.  I don't know.  The elders are a bit jumpy because of some rumors going around."

 "Rumors about what?"

 "The Eastern Kingdom."

Ryo sat up. "What about it?"

 "They say some soldiers were spotted not too far away, so the elders are getting paranoid."

Ryo's heart began to race.  "When did that start?"

"A few days ago." Shuu shrugged.  As he watched the other boy lean back Shuu seemed to sense his unease and began to fidget, visibly enthralled by the grass near his feet.

"How far away were they?"

Shuu looked up.  "You think it's true?"

"How far away were they?" Ryo repeated.

 "Supposedly the next village."

Ryo nodded.

 "Um…" Shuu cleared his throat, "how do I get back across the river?"

 "There's a boat upstream.  I'll take you across," Ryo answered absentmindedly.

 "A boat?"  He watched Shuu struggle against his anger.  "You mean I almost drowned for nothing?"

 "Come on."  Ryo rose and headed in a direction only he knew.  Shuu would have no choice but to follow.  While Shuu trudged behind him, fuming, Ryo listened to the sounds of the forest, and then for the sounds of the village.  As the left the trees, the only noise greeting him came from the river, creating an unnerving silence.  He was almost certain Shuu hadn't noticed.  At that moment, Ryo realized he was forgetting something.

 "Hold on," he said, then disappeared back into the woods.  He ran through the leaves, following the inadvertent landmarks he'd left in his time in the forest, until finally he found what he was looking for.  He experienced a moment's panic as he dug, but six inches below the second bush to the right he found his prize and let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.  Ryo quickly dusted the earth from the red cloth before strapping it across his back and running to meet Shuu.  "Let's go," he said and led the way to the promised watercraft.

The boat was small, barely large enough to seat two adults, and the wood peeling off the sides hardly inspired confidence in its seaworthiness but Ryo knew it would do the job.  He waited for Shuu to climb in before he got in the boat himself, picked up the oars, and shoved off.  Shuu was silent during the passage and Ryo wondered if the other boy had the same uneasy feeling that Ryo did himself.  Something wasn't right.

When they reached the land, Shuu didn't look back at his companion, he only jumped out of the boat and started walking.  Ryo watched him before pulling the boat out of the water and slowly following.  He had been coming to Sheratz for two years and knew the village well.  He knew most of the vendors by sight and many of the children as well.  On most days it was a very lively, very noisy village.  If salesmen and children weren't screaming, the din of a crowd could be heard at the market, and the animals never stopped their bleating.  He listened for these sounds as he moved closer to the village but still heard nothing beyond the water slapping the banks and his own feet on grass.  As he followed a curve and walked in-between buildings, the grass underneath his feet gave way to gravel.  Far ahead, he could see Shuu following a snaky path curving to the right.  Shuu was running now.

Fan's fruit stand was empty except for a few small items rolling on the ground near it.  Ryo left them where they lay and moved through the dark stone buildings until he found himself in the village's outskirts, where most of the livestock was kept and the few wooden structures stood, or rather used to stand.  The houses had been destroyed and the field was littered with dead cattle, goats, sheep, and dogs.  Ryo backed into the village, unable to tear his eyes from the sight.  Without a doubt, all of the villagers were either gone or dead.  A thin trickle of red dripping from beneath the door of yet another stone house told Ryo all he needed to know.  He had to find Shuu.

Fan's house was the only building with an open door and Ryo cautiously peered inside.  Shuu sat hunched on the ground not far from the entrance, two bodies in front of him.  Ryo ducked his head as he walked inside, intentionally making enough noise to alert Shuu to his presence.  When the boy finally looked up, his dark eyes seemed to swallow his pale face.  

 "It was true."  His voice was a strangled whisper.

Ryo looked away.  His heart seemed to beat so hard he felt his entire body shake with the rhythm.  When he was sure he could speak, he swallowed hard.  "We need to go."

Shuu turned back to his aunt and uncle and leaned forward to kiss their still warm foreheads.  With shaking hands, he reached behind Fan's head to unknot the necklace he wore.  Gently, he slid the leather and bone from his uncle's neck, then knotted it around his own.  Ryo walked outside and closed his eyes, trying to chase away the images that flooded his memory.  Just as he felt himself sinking under them, the sound of gravel crunching called him back to the present.  He opened his eyes and saw Shuu standing beside him.  The two left the village without a word.  As they moved further and further west, Ryo glanced back at the ruined village he had all but called home the past few years.  He had known the day would come when it was no longer safe to stay, and it finally had.  

He just hadn't thought it would happen like this.


	3. Chapter 3

Standard Disclaimer – the Ronin boys aren't mine… I'm just borrowing them.

Legends By Ariki Chapter Three 

Shuu didn't say a word until dusk set in and Ryo suggested setting up camp.  At first he thought the other boy hadn't heard, but eventually Shuu nodded, his eyes still on the path ahead.  By the time Ryo picked out what he felt was a suitable spot, the first evening star was visible and they had to hurry to start a fire and gather what food they could find.  Shuu caught a hare and held it over the fire, turning it occasionally to prevent burning.  Ryo watched, repulsed by the sizzling skin and juices that rolled down the now hairless animal, but fascinated by the process.  He had never seen anyone cook meat before, and while he had no intention of ever doing it himself, it was an interesting sight.  Luckily, the wind came from the south, blowing the smoke, and most of the odor, away from him.  Shuu, on the other hand, inhaled deeply.  He was clearly excited by the thought of eating the hare.  Ryo impaled one of his mushrooms on a small stick and held it over the fire.

"Where does the road lead to?" he asked.  His blue eyes focused on Shuu's face, now bathed orange in the fire's glow.

"Herrig."

"Herrig…" Ryo mulled that over.  "Where's that?"

"Near the Green Mountains," Shuu answered.  Seeing Ryo's puzzled expression, he added, "In the North."

"Is it far?"

"A day's ride.  On foot, it's closer to three."

"And that's where you're from?"

Shuu nodded, pulling the hare closer towards him as the fire popped.  "I have to tell my family what happened.  You don't have to come…"

Ryo pulled his burnt mushroom out of the fire and examined it before burying it in the dirt.  "You shouldn't be walking that far alone.  It'll be safer if we're together."

Shuu stared intently at Ryo, who briefly met his gaze before turning away.

 "So you think the Eastern Kingdom did it?"  he asked.

Ryo nodded.  "Who else would? They were seen in the area before and are the only aggressive invaders I know of."

"What about the Elves?"

Ryo snorted.  "As long as you don't bother them they won't attack.  This was unprovoked."  The other boy looked at him, disbelief written plainly on his face.  "Trust me," Ryo finished.  "Elves didn't do this.  You'd know."

Shuu pondered that before continuing.  "So, what do you know about them, the Eastern Kingdom."

_What do you want to know,_ Ryo thought dryly.  Shrugging, he answered, "You know the stories."

"What stories?"

Ryo gaped at him.  "You've never heard about them?  The demon legions?  The soldiers have been terrorizing the region for decades.  Is Herrig really that far away?"

Shuu flushed, color returning to his cheeks for the first time all day.  "I'm sorry I don't live in some war-torn province," he snapped. Ryo's eyes hardened and Shuu instantly regretted that he'd let the words leave his mouth.  Slowly, the black haired boy pushed himself to his feet, the rest of his dinner forgotten.  As Shuu watched wordlessly, Ryo walked into the darkness with a muttered, "I'm gonna look around."  Within moments he was gone.  Shuu shivered as the wind changed and a cold night breeze replaced the heat that had enveloped him.  All of the sudden, the surrounding nightlife felt much more threatening.  He sighed and pulled the hare out of the fire, slightly darker than the golden brown he'd been trying for.  Thickly callused fingers didn't flinch as he pulled off a steaming strip of meat.  Ryo would come back.  Sure, he shouldn't have said what he did, but Ryo would be back, wouldn't he?  He chewed the meat over and over until it tasted more like soggy leather than anything else before he swallowed, peering out into the darkness.  Yeah, he'd be back…

"Shit."

Cradled in the branches of a tall birch tree, Ryo watched his companion toss around in a fitful sleep.  The fire had long since gone out, but he had no desire to reignite it.  When hiding, fires did more harm than good, their light and even the smoke could lead skilled trackers straight to the source.  He hadn't had a chance to tell Shuu that soldiers were likely still in the region, that they needed to be extremely cautions to avoid them.  At first Shuu had been too busy grieving and later, well, Ryo had needed to cool off.  By the time he'd returned from his "excursion" Shuu was already asleep, his back propped up against a smooth rock.  He had probably never slept in the woods before, or maybe he was trying to wait up for Ryo.  Whatever the case, Ryo hadn't told him he was afraid the soldiers would stick around, that they were probably looking for something… 

So far the night had been quiet, except for the occasional owl or bat flying through the canopy of leaves.  There were no signs of other humans in the area and he could hear the animals moving about unconcerned.  Ryo knew he could go to sleep, and under most circumstances he would have made himself comfortable in the tree and dozed off, but it wasn't just him this time and he was a bit uneasy at the thought of Shuu sleeping in plain sight, defenseless.  No, he would stay up for a little while, just in case.

"Ryo!  Ryo, where are you?"

Pulled from his deep slumber, Ryo squinted against the sunlight and held himself still, straining to hear what was going on.

"Ryo?  Come on."  The voice took on a pleading note.  Ryo shook his head, clearing the sleep-induced confusion.  "He knew that voice.  He heard Shuu moving below him, thrashing loudly through the underbrush.  Ryo pushed away from the trunk and stretched, careful not to upset his perch.  Shuu now stood directly below him, clearly searching the area for any sign of the other boy.

"I'm here," Ryo said as he began his descent.  He landed with a loud crunch, vegetation snapping under his feet.  Shuu whirled around to face Ryo, his features shifting between relief and anger.  The two stared at each other in silence before Ryo spoke.  "You were asleep when I came back."

"So you left again?"

Ryo adjusted the strap holding the red-cloth package onto his back and turned away.  "Do you want to eat something or should we get moving?"

Shuu grabbed Ryo's arm before he could walk away.  "Neither," he growled.  "Ryo, what was that?  Where were you?"

Ryo yanked his arm free and stepped back.  "I went to sleep, all right?  Now can we go?  The sooner we get out of here, the better."

Shuu leaned back against the vacated tree.  "Why are you in such a hurry?  This is my mission."

"Because we're still too close.  The soldiers might be in this area and I want to get as far away from them as possible.  Now's a good time to start walking."  This time when Ryo turned to leave Shuu hesitated, then followed, stepping on branches that sounded ear-splittingly loud to Ryo but didn't seem to bother Shuu at all.  The larger boy had become quiet again, leaving Ryo alone with his thoughts.  When they turned back onto the road, Shuu caught up to Ryo, apparently attempting to lead the way.

"So," he began, "this is kind of normal for you, huh?  Sleeping in the woods, I mean."

Ryo shrugged.  "I guess.  I don't know my way around this one, though."

Shuu nodded and reached back to knead his shoulder.  "The ground's not comfortable at all. I think that was the worst rest I've ever had."

Ryo smiled a little.  "I know.  That's why I don't sleep on it."  At Shuu's look of bewilderment Ryo pointed to the canopy of trees they had just left.  "It's a lot better up there."

"You sleep in a tree?"  Shuu's shock was apparent.

Ryo nodded.

"You don't ever fall out?"

Ryo looked offended by the suggestion.  "I have good balance.  Once you learn how to do it, it's easy."

Shuu shook his head.  "I don't know about that.  Is it comfortable up there?"

"Better that the dirt."

Shuu considered that.  "Do the rest of your family sleep in trees too?"

"Nope," Ryo answered.  "It's just me.  I live by myself."

_By myself._  Shuu couldn't conceive of the notion.  "Where's everyone else?" he asked, confused.

"Dead."  Ryo kicked at a stone on the edge of the road and watched it bounce ahead of them.  "They died a long time ago."

"Oh."  So Ryo had been living in the forest across the river alone all this time.  Shuu suddenly suspected he knew why Uncle Fan had let him steal, and immediately felt a wave of regret.  He shouldn't have left them lying there like that, he could have at least buried them.  That's what his father would have done.  How could he tell him that not only was his younger brother dead, but that he and his wife were not properly buried?

By the time the two stopped for water and food the sun was midway through its ascent.  Shuu looked distrustfully at the nuts Ryo picked out but ate them, hungrily.  Ryo watched, amused, as Shuu examined each one before popping them into his mouth.

"I wish we could catch something," he lamented.

Ryo shrugged.  "You'll just have to wish until we stop for the night.  We still have, what, two days to go?"

"Probably closer to two and a half.  I wish we had a horse…"

Ryo lifted his head and turned abruptly to Shuu.  "Do you have a big family?

Shuu blinked, thrown off by the question.  "Yeah, I guess.  Four brothers and three sisters."

"Do they all live in Herrig?"

"Everyone except my older sister.  She and her husband are pretty far away.  Me and my younger sisters live with my parents.  My brothers all moved out, but they're still around all the time."

"Must be nice."

Shuu nodded.  "They help a lot with the animals.  We raise livestock and farm a little too, but not so much anymore."

"So why were you in Sheratz?"

"Helping Uncle Fan."  Shuu sighed heavily.  "He needed someone to work the fruit stand with him, so I came."

"Didn't his wife used to be there with him a long time ago?"

"Yeah, but she got sick a few months back and Uncle Fan couldn't do it all himself."  Shuu wiped his sleeve across his mouth before continuing.  "Did you used to live in Sheratz?"

Ryo shook his head.  "I was across the river for the last two years, but that's it.  I guess I'm from the South."

Shuu fought with himself for a moment before blurting out, "When did your family…"

Ryo picked at a spot on his pants.  "They died when I was nine."

…_A long time ago._  Shuu couldn't imagine a life where the wishes of his family didn't trump his own, let alone a life without them at all.  He didn't want to admit it, but he found himself morbidly intrigued by the boy sitting before him. Again, he struggled to find a phrase that could get his question across without sounding callous, but gave up and decided to go the single word route.

"How?" he asked.

"The Eastern Kingdom."  Ryo smiled humorlessly.  "They raided the village we were visiting.  Killed almost everyone, including my parents."

"Is that why you were so interested in the news in town?"  Ryo gave Shuu a blank look.  Shuu mentally retraced his steps.  "When I told you the elders were nervous about some rumors you almost jumped on me."

Ryo lowered his gaze to the ground and didn't answer.  Shuu realized he had asked too much.  Gradually, he became aware of the sounds around them.  The birds chirped and twittered loudly as the wind whistled past the two.  When he thought about it, Ryo had saved his life twice in one day – first from drowning, then by keeping him out of the village.  It was startling to think how quickly he had made the leap from an enemy, Shuu's arch-nemesis, to a companion. He still wasn't quite sure how he felt about the blue-eyed boy but he certainly appreciated the company on his trek.

Without any prior coordination, Ryo and Shuu both stood at the same time.  When Ryo's eyes met Shuu's this time they were full of curiosity.

"So, you said your town's near the Green Mountains?" he asked.

Shuu nodded.  "Yeah, but it's not really.  You can see them but that's about it."

Ryo smiled as he squinted at the sun.  "I've never seen mountains."

"They're not that far away.  If we walk fast we might be able to see them tonight."

"Then let's go."  Ryo took off at a fast jog, leaving a confused Shuu staring behind him.

"Wait.  What are you doing?  It's _my town!" he called._

"I'm gonna see mountains," Ryo called back over his shoulder.  He turned around and jogged backwards until Shuu caught up with him.

"Mountains," Shuu muttered.  "You're crazy, you know that?"

Ryo grinned widely and picked up the pace.


End file.
